Tribute to Cuban opposition activists and political prisoners in Madrid
posted on Monday, May 17, 2010The Foundation for Analysis and Social Studies, FAES (in Spanish), holds, today Monday May 17th, a tribute to Cuban democrats coinciding with European Union-Latin America and the Caribbean Summit. During the act, FAES will give a voice to Cuban democrats in exile, residing in Spain and the United States, and to those who are still in the island, all of whom are authentic recipients of the tribute, and who will share their diverse testimonies and will demand the liberation of all political prisoners.
‘Knowing the Spanish government’s intention of fostering a new framework for dialog between Europe and the Marxist dictatorship, despite the increasing repression within the island; FAES would like to express its support for those who fight democratically for a free Cuba that respects human rights’, states the foundation presided by ex-president Aznar.
During the act there will be speeches by ex-president of the Spanish government and current president of FAES, José María Aznar [. There will also be speeches by] ex-president of Perú Alejandro Toledo, the president of the Autonomous Community of Madrid, Esperanza Aguirre, the president of the European People’s Party, Wilfred Martens, the general secretary of FAES, Jaime García-Legaz and Jorge Moragas, Spanish Member of Congress for the PP [Partido Popular or People’s Party]. The event will represent culmination of a day that will begin with the celebration, in the Spanish Congress, of a seminary sponsored by CES (Center of European Studies of the European People’s Party) on the European Union’s ‘Common Position’ regarding Cuba that FAES supports.
To FAES recognition to Cuban democrats will be added video-messages sent by artists Andy García and Gloria Estefan. The event will be hosted by Cuban journalist Alina Fernández.
Cuba’s democratic movement in exile in Spain and the US will be represented by ex-political prisoners, headed by Raúl Rivero, who will read the ‘Havana’s Declaration” manifest. [Also present will be] Miguel Sigler, Marcelino Miyares and Orlando Gutiérrez, members of the political platforms Asamblea por la Resistencia [Resistance Assembly] and Consenso Cubano [Cuban Consensus] that gather a majority of exile organizations.
Carlos Alberto Montaner, vice-president of the Liberal International, will also speak during the first part of the act. Photographs by Orlando Luis Pardo, photographer and editor living in Havana, and a witness of the repression and abuses of the Cuban regime will be projected.
Also present will be other ex-political prisoners of the communist regime: Alejandro Gonzáles Raga, Omar Pernet and José Gabriel Castillo as well as Blanca Reyes, co-founder of Ladies in White, and the freedom activists Consuelo Almeida e Indira Omaña, daughter and granddaughter of [late] Comandante Almeida, who was Number Two in the [Cuban] revolution. Other European political party representatives, think tanks, NGOs, and foundations will be present as well.
The voices of Cuban democrats within the island will be heard in Madrid through the testimonies of Laura Pollán, the leader of Ladies in White, and Reina Luisa Tamayo, mother of political prisoner Orlando Zapata who died in prison as consequence of a prolonged hunger strike and the violence to which he was subjected. The act will end with the presentation of the short documentary “The Grandchildren of the Revolution”, directed by Carlos Montaner, [and that is] a close look at the reality in the island through the desires for freedom and democracy of [Cuban] youth.
The tribute by FAES has aroused a great interest, so the Radio and Televisión Martí that originate in Miami will broadcast it live into Cuba. In the same fashion, a large group of Cuban bloggers from inside and outside the island, among them Yoani Sánchez (Generation Y) and Deyanira Pijuán (aRRoz con Punk); will cover it in real time.
(This is a FAES press release published by INFOLATAM)
for the freedom of all cuban political prisoners
Etiquetas: Ladies in White, political prisoners, Solidarity, Spain
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